Ocean Shores to Desert Dunes: The Native Vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT

Taxon ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 1120
Author(s):  
Rudolf Schmid ◽  
David (Andrew) Keith
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Desert Dunes

Life under a sandstone overhang: the ecology of the eastern cave bat Vespadelus troughtoni in northern New South Wales.

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Law ◽  
M Chidel ◽  
A Mong
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Radio Tracking ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Air Space ◽  
Forested Areas

We studied the eastern cave bat (Vespadelus troughtoni) in northern New South Wales to provide ecological information on roosts and foraging. Radio-tracking of five bats was supplemented with opportunistic visits to roosts over five years. One male was radio-tracked and its roost was within a corrugated iron roof cavity of a dairy. Maternity roosts were located in the overhangs of large sandstone caves usually containing a dome at the rear. Searches of nearby cliff-lines found that small caves, crevices and overhangs were not used as day-roosts. Nor did any radio-tagged bat roost in tree hollows. Colony size of one tight roosting cluster was estimated as 240 individuals. Radio-tagged bats frequently switched roosts, while opportunistic visits over a five-year period often found caves unoccupied. Most movements between roosts were within 1.5 km, although one female moved about 3.75 km between roosts. One radiotagged female shifted roost to beneath the corrugated iron of a farm-shed that supported at least 50 bats, predominantly females with young. Observations of foraging radio-tagged and lighttagged bats were frequent along a stream lined with trees, but surrounded by cleared paddocks. Foraging was observed in the air space above the creek, interspersed with occasional rapid flights across paddocks (> 500 m). We suggest that a key requirement for V. troughtoni in the rural landscape is the presence of native vegetation in close proximity to roosts, although extensive forested areas may not be required. Education of local communities about the sensitivity of these bats at cave roosts would be an important contribution to their conservation.

The habitat and management of hairy jointgrass (Arthraxon hispidus, Poaceae) on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura White ◽  
Claudia Catterall ◽  
Kathryn Taffs
Keyword(s):  
Threatened Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Disturbance ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Freshwater Wetland ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
The North ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Impact

Ecological information about threatened species is required to guide strategic management approaches for effective biodiversity conservation in Australia. Arthraxon hispidus (hairy jointgrass) is a listed threatened species in New South Wales (NSW), but there is limited information on its habitat preferences and native vegetation associations, as well as the impact of historical and ongoing anthropogenic disturbance on its distribution and abundance. In the present study, populations of A. hispidus on the north coast of NSW were surveyed to investigate the habitat characteristics associated with various occurrences of the species. Its preferred habitat was found to be dense ground-cover formations in high-moisture, low-canopy conditions. Cover was highest in moisture-associated assemblages in and around wetlands, drainage lines and groundwater seepages, often in association with native grasses, sedges and herbs. These findings suggest that naturally open freshwater wetland communities comprise the most plausible native habitat niches for A. hispidus populations on the north coast of NSW. A. hispidus also occurs widely among introduced pastures and weeds in previously forested areas, demonstrating the species’ potential to exploit derived habitat. Results indicate that, although ongoing disturbance continues to promote A. hispidus in these exotic-dominated landscapes where historical clearing has created potential habitat opportunities, anthropogenic disturbance (slashing or cattle grazing) is not necessary to sustain A. hispidus within native-dominated wetland communities. Findings suggest more scope for integrated management of A. hispidus within broader native vegetation conservation strategies rather than a single species approach.

Changes to the status of birds in the Tapitallee region on the south coast of New South Wales from 1928 to 2020

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry Daly
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Local Area ◽  
South Coast ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
The South ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Status ◽  
Local Residents

ABSTRACT Aubrey Elliott (1910–1943), a passionate ‘bird-man’, lived in the suburb of Tapitallee on the south coast of New South Wales until 1940. During that period he and his brother, Arthur kept notes on the birds in the local area and devised a hide that was mounted on a utility that enabled them to take close-up photographs. To augment his observations Elliott interviewed local residents and collated information on the status of the area’s birds. In 1985 I purchased the property next to where Elliott lived and was given access to his notes. This paper presents a comparison of avifauna in the Tapitallee area between 1926–40 and 1985–2020. During that time there have been changes in the distribution and abundance of many birds. Fourteen species have become locally extinct while 28 have colonised/recolonised the area. Combining Aubrey’s and our data a total of 194 species of bird have been recorded in the area. Dams have been constructed and native vegetation has regrown on the steeper slopes. These actions have expanded the habitat for aquatic and forest dependant species but disadvantaged those that occupy grasslands. The Red Fox Vulpes vulpes colonised the area in 1907 and is implicated in the local extinction of the Bush Stone Curlew Burhinus grallarius. Wildfire in January 2020 burnt a relatively small portion of the Tapitallee area but these fires burnt an extensive area of southern NSW and Victoria. These fires were likely to be responsible for the decline in the numbers of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters Caligavis chrysops and White-naped Honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus migrating north in the autumn of that year.

scholarly journals Bird assemblages in remnant and revegetated habitats in an extensively cleared landscape, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren K Martin ◽  
David Eldridge ◽  
Patricia A Murray
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Bird Assemblages ◽  
Remnant Vegetation ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia

Extensive loss and degradation of native vegetation in the agricultural landscape of inland south-eastern Australia has resulted in significant losses in bird diversity and abundance. Native vegetation continues to be lost through the attrition of paddock trees, which constitute a large component of the remaining vegetation. The planting of native trees and shrubs is being undertaken as a means of halting the loss of biodiversity. However, the effectiveness of revegetation activities is still being assessed. A study in the Wagga Wagga area of New South Wales was undertaken to examine the relative value of remnant vegetation, farm plantings, paddock trees, and pasture for bird diversity. Species richness was highest in remnant vegetation, and was similar in planted vegetation and paddock trees. Relative abundance was similar across these three vegetation types. Species composition differed among all vegetation types, with planted and paddock tree sites having predominantly different sub-sets of the bird assemblage characteristic of remnant vegetation. The protection of remnant vegetation is essential for the conservation of the region’s avifauna, but plantings and paddock trees also have important values for birds. However, plantings and paddock trees support different bird assemblages and complement each other. While important in their own right, the current plantings of native vegetation should not be considered as off-setting the continued loss of paddock trees. Retention of the avifauna of the Wagga Wagga area would be assisted if remnant vegetation and paddock trees were protected and integrated with appropriately designed revegetation.

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